Tamblin Demosthene and the Unwanted Remembrance
by Tlalcopan
Summary: The third Tamblin story. Family issues. A descent into madness. A shocking crime. I wrote this story with a different style from the Harry Potter formula as an experiment. It begins in medias res, covers about half the school year, and is told through flashbacks.
1. Chapter 1

**Tamblin Demosthene and the Unwanted Remembrance**

Tamblin stared at the floor of Dumbledore's office trying to put everything in order in his mind. Dumledore stepped quietly into the office.

"They should be here momentarily," he said.

Tamblin nodded somberly.

There was a rapping sound from the brass griffin door knocker. Tamblin wasn't sure how much time had passed. Dumbledore went to open the door. Tamblin turned in his chair and saw a square jawed older witch followed by a round man in the most grotesque clothing.

"Thank you for coming," Dumbledore said simply. The oddly dressed man scowled.

"What's this all about, Dumbledore? Your message said it was urgent we come tonight."

While the man whipped off his green bowler hat, the witch was sizing up Tamblin through a monocle carefully perched on her broad cheek. She had a shrewd look in her eye and vaguely familiar features.

"I believe I should leave that up to young Tamblin here to answer," Dumbledore replied. He turned to Tamblin. "Tamblin Demosthene I'd like to introduce the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, and the head of Magical Law Enforcement, Amelia Bones."

Tamblin was caught off guard. "Bones? I know a Susan… nevermind. Minister Fudge, Madam Bones, I am turning myself in."

Fudge looked bewildered.

Madam Bones just nodded and said, "under-age use of magic outside of school, and much more importantly, magical assault on a fellow student. I got the message just before leaving for Dumbledore's summon. You've saved the Aurors the trouble of finding you. The Wizengamot will take your voluntary surrender into account at your trial." She turned to address Dumbledore. "You have relieved him of his wand, I presume?"

"I have not, Amelia, the situation is somewhat more complicated. I recommend that we discuss it here rather than before the Wizengamot."

"You know the law, Dumbledore," she said.

"Indeed and I have tried to uphold it. But allowances must sometimes be made that justice is served even if the law is not."

Mrs. Bones seemed to be weighing Dumbledore's opinion carefully.

"Additionally I believe the Ministry has reason not to want this case before the full Wizengamot."

Fudge looked startled at Dumbledore's words. Then he looked at Tamblin with dawning comprehension.

"Ah, Yes. I think if the Chief Wizard of the Wizengamot says we should have a… _preliminary_ hearing then we should take his advice. You don't object, do you, Amelia?"

Mrs. Bones nodded. "Very well. Shall we go to my office?"

Tamblin interjected, "We need to do it here."

Dumbledore turned and opened a cupboard. A silver glow came from within.

"You have to see what happened for yourself."


	2. Chapter 2

Tamblin stood in his own past watching himself. Through the magic of the Pensieve he, Mrs. Bones, and Minister Fudge were watching Tamblin's memories. He and the two Ministry officials were standing on his memory of the lawn at his family estates. The memory-Tamblin was standing at the front door looking at the grounds expectantly.

A moment later something hurtled down out of the sky. It was spinning far too fast to make out at first but it gradually slowed and stopped. A girl stood up looking dizzy and flushed. Carefully she put a heavy metal hoop the size of a bracelet into a small bag and the bag into her pocket.

Madam Bones turned to Tamblin. "A portkey?"

"Yes. Ms. Vega stays at the school during the summer but Dumbledore agreed to let her visit me several times. He arranged with the Ministry for a portkey."

Madam Bones looked at Fudge who nodded.

The memory-Tamblin and Cascata proceeded to hug and talk animatedly.

"Given that the assault occurred earlier today why are you showing us events from half a year ago?"

"I can only beg your patience in this matter. You need to see what happened to understand."


	3. Chapter 3

As they withdrew from the Pensieve Madam Bones looked suspicious. She looked from Fudge to Dumbledore.

"Portkeys are heavily regulated. Why would the Ministry agree to set one up so a girl could visit her boyfriend during her vacation?"

Tamlin pinked distinctly at the statement that he and Cascata were boyfriend and girlfriend. Minister Fudge began to hem and haw.

"Well… you see Madam Bones… ah there are circumstances here… that are _unique_. Special… ah… _dispensation_ was called for."

Dumbledore interjected here, "Minister, I believe that Madam Bones will have to be informed of the circumstances. Otherwise she cannot appreciate the narrative that will unfold."

Fudge looked distinctly uncomfortable.

"I suppose so. I'm sorry, Amelia, this information was kept carefully secret. Are you familiar with Mr. Demosthene's family?"

Madam Bones said, "I recall the incident with his father."

"Ah yes. The Ministry accused him of conspiring with He Who Must Not be Named. Tamblin's father died during apprehension and then the evidence against him disappeared. A terrible black eye for the Wizengamot, and the Ministry in general. Not that I can complain much since it was partially responsible for my predecessors retirement."

Fudge chuckled slightly but nobody joined him.

"Ah… yes… well it's not the father but the _mother_ we are interested in here. Mrs. Demosthene was a disciple of … well of You Know Who. She was a follower but not a Death Eater." Here Fudge's tone became conspiratorial, "She was one of the Invisibles."

Madam Bones snorted and the monocle fell off of its normal perch.

"The Invisibles were a myth, Minister. Another way for Him to spread fear. Every unexplained accident was rumored to be the work of His legion of unseen assassins."

Dumbledore said, "The rumors were certainly exaggerated, but the Invisibles did exist, Amelia.

Madam Bones looked hard at Dumbledore. Her manner said that she was much more likely to believe Dumbledore on this matter than Fudge. Skepticism won out though.

"Are you serious, Albus?"

"Tamblin, perhaps a demonstration?"

Bones glanced at Tamblin incredulously and then back at Dumbledore.

"Surely you aren't suggesting this boy was one of His Invisibles?"

Tamblin decided that Dumbledore was right and the best way to end the matter was simply to show them.

"Madam Bones, please look at me."

The hard faced witch turned her powerful stare on him. This wouldn't be easy. She had a keen mind and was long trained to measure the world in minutiae, but Tamblin's powers had grown considerably in the last three years.

He could feel the attention of all three of them on him. Turning inward an absolute stillness came over him. Everything about him became smooth and subtle. His breathing slowed and became silent. He didn't move. Madam Bones found it hard to keep her eyes on him. They seemed to slide off of their own accord. At first she fought it and kept refocusing on the boy she knew was standing right in front of her. Tamblin's stillness spread through him and soon she could not see him no matter how hard she tried.

Her mouth hung open.

Fudge gasped. "I was told but… I hadn't seen…"

Tamblin brought himself back from his withdrawn state. Madam Bones reached out tentatively and touched his shoulder as if to be sure he was really there now.

"You were standing right there the entire time?"

"I was, Madam Bones, but had you not known I was there in the first place I could have easily walked by without you ever noticing."

"It's important that you understand that the Invisibles existed," Dumbledore said, "and that Tamblin's mother was one of them."

"What happened to his mother? I know we never caught any of the Invisibles…"

Dumbledore smiled, "I think I will defer to the only person in the room with direct experience with this magic."

All three looked again at Tamblin. Dumbledore with his typical calm, Bones with a new look of calculation and appraisal, and Fudge with an expression still bordering on horror.


	4. Chapter 4

It took a while to tell them about it. About how the power his mother had been taught had somehow been passed down to him naturally, and about the consequences. He could withdraw from the world and move unnoticed but there were costs. As he withdrew he needed little in the way of air, food, or sleep but he suffered mentally. He became alienated if he spent too much time withdrawn. He could become unstable if he didn't get enough human attention.

".. which brings us to Cascata."

"How does Ms. Vega figure into this," Madam Bones asked. Tamblin had been very impressed with how Madam Bones had handled the explanation. She clearly grasped the nature of the situation despite having scoffed at it before. She was, in fact, dealing with the reality of the situation better than the Minister who seemed to have gotten a nasty shock at seeing Tamblin vanish before his eyes.

"Professor Dumbledore found that people with this ability would seek out an anchor, a person who could provide them with a healthy amount of attention. This helps keep the… I guess we'll use the term Invisible… helps keep the Invisible sane."

"This is fascinating, but I don't see how it relates to your mother or to the crime at hand."

Dumbledore said, "There is a possible further risk. Without an anchor the Invisible may withdraw so far that they essentially cease to exist."

Madam Bones said, "The mother?"

"My father was her anchor."

"And Cascata is yours? That's why the portkey was arranged? So that you could have contact with her over the summer…" Madam Bones was speaking out loud rather than asking a question.

Fudge tried to assert himself, "Yes… naturally once Dumbldore explained the situation to me I allowed for the portkey… for the… ah… good of all concerned of course…"

Tamblin looked at Dumbledore. He'd not mentioned that he was discussing Tamblin's abilities with the Ministry. Dumbledore withstood the accusatory stare coolly.

"Alright continue, it's late and I'm beginning to suspect we are going to be here a while." Madam Bones produced her wand and from it a high backed maroon chair that looked rather worn. Fudge produced a recliner from his own wand and both sat down.


	5. Chapter 5

"So I spent my summer taking care of family business with frequent visits by Cascata. All in all I was quite looking forward to this year. Last year turned out to be rather… exhausting."

Fudge seemed slightly testy at the mention of this topic.

"Yes we are all familiar with the events of the Chamber of Secrets-"

"Not just that Minister. My powers were growing and with them the difficulties. Tensions between myself and Cascata led to many problems. It was only toward the end of the year that these were substantially resolved and Cascata consented to be my anchor."

Tamblin looked at Madam Bones, she had her eyes closed. For a second he wondered if she were asleep but then they flew open.

"Last Christmas there was an incident. I recall your name being involved."

Tamblin hesitated. He'd hoped the event would not have come to the attention of either the Ministry officials.

"Yes. There was an accident at my house. Cascata was nearly killed by a homunculus. It was my fault for not being more careful. That incident led to much of the tension I spoke of earlier."

"I should imagine so," Madam Bones said.

"Anyway I was rather optimistic about this year being better. As you'll see the very first day had some surprises in store."

Tamblin brought his wand to his temple. He concentrated for a second and then pulled it away. Silvery strands of memory stuff came with it. These he placed carefully into the pensieve.

"If you don't mind I'll let you watch the memories by yourselves from now on. It makes me a bit uncomfortable to watch myself that way. Plus the pensieve is rather crowded with all three of us around it dunking our heads in. I'll try to keep the memories short."

Neither Ministry official looked happy with this but they didn't voice an objection. Instead they prised themselves from their chairs and proceeded to dunk their heads into Tamblin's memories swirling around the stone bowl.


	6. Chapter 6

Tamblin was paying little attention to the sorting, as usual. McGonogal's voice seemed to get more brittle each year, but the terror on the faces of the first years was always fresh and keen. He clapped at the appropriate times but mostly confined his interest to his own thoughts.

"Vega, Callista…"

Tamblin's head whipped up to look at a small dark haired girl who moved from one of the back ranks toward the sorting hat. The girl looked like an exact copy of the Cascata he met two years ago in the library.

He turned to look at the Hufflepuff table. Cascata was staring with obvious shock toward the girl who must be her sister. Hannah and Susan were both anxiously whispering at her but she seemed to be unaware of them.

The Hat's voice echoed through the Great Hall, "Slytherin!"

The girl took off the hat and quietly walked toward the cheering table. She never looked toward the sister who stared after her.


	7. Chapter 7

To Tamblin and Dumbledore, Madam Bones and Minister Fudge had their heads in the pensieve for only a moment. Regardless of how long the memory was it would take them no longer to experience it than it would for Tamblin to recall the event. To them, of course, it felt like the time in the memory had really passed.

As they stood up they looked confused.

Fudge spoke first.

"What the devil does this have to do with anything?"

"I need you to understand the sequence of events. The causality. The events were set in motion before I was born but I can only show you the parts I know. Hopefully it will be enough."

Tamblin placed a new memory in the Pensieve.


	8. Chapter 8

Tamblin, Hannah Abbot, Susan Bones, and Cascata Vega were having a study session in a disused classroom. Tamblin held a book in front of him but clearly wasn't reading it. He looked first at Susan and then at Hannah. Each of them looked back. All three looked at Cascata but she was the only one actually reading. Finally Susan rolled her eyes and then cleared her throat loudly.

"A-hem. Cassie?"

Cascata looked up and her eyes were striking for the large bags and red lines that clearly showed how little rest she'd been getting.

"What, Susan?"

"We kind of need to talk about what's going on with you, honey."

"What do you mean?"

Hannah butted in, "You know what we mean, Cassie. Your sister has come to Hogwarts. She's in _Slytherin._ You look like you haven't slept in weeks. We hear you crying every night…"

"I'm sorry I've kept you up…"

"It's not like that," Susan said. "We just want to help. You've been shutting us out."

Cascata turned her red rimmed eyes on Tamblin.

"What about you?"

Tamblin carefully steepled his fingers

"I respect your privacy. You never told me about your sister and that's your choice. But whatever is going on is eating you up. Why are we here if we refuse to share our burdens?"

"I never thought I'd see my little sister again. It never occurred to me that she might be a witch too. I mean, I was old enough before mom… I got to see that she did stuff. Magic. And as a kid I sometimes did things we couldn't explain. But my sister never did. And she was too young to remember much of mom at all."

Cascata's face seemed to collapse under grief.

"I thought… when dad… abandoned me… I thought I lost her too. She never answered any of my mail. I tried to talk to her after the sorting ceremony and a few other times in the halls. She doesn't want to have anything to do with me."

She put her head down on her arms and sobbed. Her friends moved around her to offer what comfort they could.


	9. Chapter 9

"While I was moved to deep concern for Cascata I also had my own issues to consider. I appealed to Dumbledore to allow me to undertake a special field of study."

Madam Bones looked slightly distracted by the memory but she quickly gathered her wits.

"And what was that?"

Dumbledore said, "Memory magics."

Fudge looked taken aback.

"That's pretty advanced and delicate material to be teaching a third year, Dumbledore. Why would you possibly agree to it?"

Tamblin interrupted before Dumbledore could answer.

"Last year we discovered that my mother had disappeared utterly. Pictures of her were faded to nothing. Even memories of her were almost completely obscured. Dumbledore mentioned that he had made use of certain memory magics to try and remember her. I came to conclude that the power works on many levels. Memory being one of them. I hoped that by studying memory magics I might get a better handle on my own abilities."

Fudge looked hardly mollified.

"That's… I have to say, Dumbledore, I find that decision very disturbing."

"Especially in light of the events that brought us here," Madam Bones added.

"Mr. Demosthene was very persuasive," Dumbledore said. "As for the events in question I think you'll see them differently by the end of the night."

Tamblin was already adding the next memory to the Pensieve.


	10. Chapter 10

Flitwick's office resembled a menagerie of charmed artifacts. The entire room was filled with various pieces of furniture and paraphernalia that crawled, walked, flew, slithered, or hovered. Various pieces made noise, watched people, or tried to escape by hiding amongst a visitor's effects. The result was that the office was the single worst place in the school to converse or study. How the diminutive Professor managed to accomplish anything in such a room mystified Tamblin. Even as he came in the Professor was trying to write on a parchment while his quill struggled to get free. Every time Flitwick looked up the desk sidled half an inch away from him.

"Professor?" Tamblin had his head poking in through the door.

"Please come in, Mr. Demosthene. I'm quite pleased with your marks so far this term, my boy. I think you've finally settled down and started applying yourself. Good work! Keep it up!"

Flitwick's high pitched voice was nearly lost in the twittering of a flock of books that were disturbed from the perch on a book case by Tamblin's entrance. Tamblin got in and closed the door quickly to prevent any of the charmed items from escaping.

"Sir, I've spoken with Dumbledore. He's allowed me to pursue a special course of study." Tamblin held out a parchment.

Flitwick took it and read it. His normally jovial face became clouded.

"Memory magics? Most unusual. And you requested this course of study?"

"Yes, sir."

"May I ask why?"

"Is something wrong, Professor?"

Flitwick's face seemed to relax.

"No. I'm sure you must have good cause if Dumbledore agreed, it's just…"

"What, Professor?"

"Memory Magic is not the most dangerous line of study. Not like, say, time magics. Now there's a field with a long history of catastrophe. But still Memory Magics have a bit of a nasty reputation."

"Why is that?"

"Well as you might expect it's a favorite topic of some disreputable types. Nothing wrong with the topic itself, of course. But how it's used has often left much to be desired."

"The Ministry has a department of memory modification…"

"Of course. It's necessary to protect our world from Muggle discovery. But even when done with good cause we should always tread that ground with the utmost caution. The power to remake people into what we want them to be… It can be a terrible temptation."

He seemed to be getting melancholy again.

"I'm sorry, my boy. Here you are displaying a healthy interest in knowledge and I burden you with cynicism. Alright, well for a good introduction to the topic we'll need a few different books."

Flitwick got off his chair, which promptly shuffled off to a corner, and approached one of the tall bookcases that lined most of the walls. He scanned titles for a while until he noticed what he wanted far out of reach of Tamblin, much less Flitwick.

Flitwick gave the bookcase a good solid kick and the books took to the air en masse.

"There it is! See the one with the green cover? It's just banking past that shoal of treatises on mythological monsters. That's the one. You'll have to stun it."

Tamblin drew his wand. Carefully tracking the book in question, amongst all the books stirred up when Flitwick disturbed their roost, wasn't easy. A big thick black tome nipped at the green book and it dived away and into the open.

"Stupefy."

A red beam from Tamblin's bloodwand lanced the book which promptly fell to the floor.

Flitwick fetched it and dusted it off.

"None the worse! Good. Now we need…" He stared at the mass above them for a while.

By the time they were done Flitwick had complimented Tamblin on his stupefying charm control and Tamblin had _Mnemasthesia for Mnemasthetes_ , _Remember When: A History of Magical Memory Modification_ , and _Tricky Magic Ethics: What Not to Do Volume VII_ as well as several parchments. Tamblin stuffed each in his bag before it could recover from stunning and attempt to escape.


	11. Chapter 11

"I went to school with Filius," Madam Bones said when she emerged from the memory. "He was always a clever one." She fixed Tamblin with a stern look. "I take it his warnings didn't have the appropriate effect."

"I took it quite seriously, I assure you."

"So far you've established that you are susceptible to fits of madness, have on occasion quarreled with the victim, and have had opportunity to learn the magic used."

"I admit that I committed the crime, the question is whether you agree the circumstances warranted it."


	12. Chapter 12

Tamblin sat in front of the chess board with his pieces already arrayed. The other half of the board though was empty. Cascata paced nearby.

"Are you sure you want to do this," Tamblin said.

"How many times are you going to ask me that," Cascata snapped. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "I'm sorry. _I have to know_."

"There'll be a cost."

"I thought he was a friend of yours?"

"Nott is nobody's friend. By choice. He sees us as peers, which means he regards me as an equal, a social companion, and a deadly rival."

"You see him the same way don't you?"

"…yes."

"Maybe _you_ should have been in Slytherin too."

Tamblin looked at Cascata with real hurt. Before he could reply, or Cascata could apologize, Theodore Nott walked up. He took a seat facing Tamblin and began to set up his pieces.

Tamblin waited respectfully for him to finish before starting.

"Nott, Cascata here would like to ask you-"

"Everyone knows what Ms. Vega wants," Nott said. He looked up at Tamblin with a challenging expression. His queen's pawn dutifully marched forward two spaces.

"Don't be crass, address her directly." Tamblin's kingside knight moved into the center of the board.

Nott looked over at Cascata. She was vibrating with tension.

"You've never liked me, but you are willing to come here now asking for my favor? Your sister means that much to you?"

Cascata answered quietly, "Yes."

Nott looked back at the board.

"Do you know what a boon is?"

Cascata shook her head. Tamblin's eyes narrowed but he remained silent.

"It means if you ask me for a favor which I am ill disposed to grant then you must accept that I would want a favor in return some day later."

"Fine, you can have a boon-"

"That isn't necessary. I just wanted you to know for the next time you think to impose on my generosity. This advice I'll give for free: forget your sister. Decide in your heart that she is dead, because I swear she has done the same to you."

Cascata tried to prevent the tears for a moment and then turned and fled.

Nott looked at Tamblin's hard eyes.

"You should probably see to her. Her sister is having troubles. Slytherin is not a house that is easy for half bloods. She has it even worse with a sister in Hufflepuff. Add in her estrangement from her father… Well it is fair to say she's in for a rough time."

"You seem very aware of her situation. What role are you playing in this act?"

Nott smiled.

"Merely the witness, so far. Sometimes tragedies manufacture themselves."

"So far? Then you are thinking about involvement."

"Not really, but _you_ are. You're thinking that dear Nott is ideal suited to take this lost, lonely, scared, wayward girl under his auspices and to guide her toward eventual reconciliation with the sister you hold in such esteem. Or am I wrong?"

"You are right, I _should_ go after her."

Tamblin stood and followed after his friend.


	13. Chapter 13

"Are you trying to establish that you are close to the victim?"

Tamblin shook his head.

"No, Madam Bones. While that is certainly true, what we are getting at here is much more significant."

Fudge was looking at Dumbledore.

"Have you seen these memories?"

"No," Dumbledore said. "I was however filled in on the relevant details by Tamblin."

"So you had no hand in orchestrating this?"

"None, other than to agree that having this form of hearing might be best and sending for the both of you. Tamblin wrote me a letter describing what had happened and what he expected might happen earlier today."

Fudge didn't look entirely convinced. Tamblin watched the tensions in the room. There was more here than could be explained by the factors he was aware of. And Fudge seemed particularly agitated and suspicious since Tamblin demonstrated his abilities. Tamblin rankled slightly at the knowledge that Dumbledore had been conversing with the Ministry about him. He supposed it was inevitable but he didn't want the Ministry taking an interest in his abilities. Murdering his father had not endeared them to him.


	14. Chapter 14

Cascata waited alone outside of the Herbology greenhouses. She paced nervously and periodically tried to peer through the thick glass plates at the class inside. Finally a flood of first year students emerged. Robes of blue and green. Cascata was only a little taller than them but her yellow robes made her stand out.

A knot of Slytherins emerged at the end and among them was Callista. When Callista saw her sister her face hardened immediately. The knot of them stopped and then separated leaving Callista alone. Her classmates looked like scavengers sensing a kill to pounce on. Callista tried to walk past Cascata but the later put a hand on her shoulder.

"Callie…"

Callista shoved the hand away. Her voice was an angry whisper and her eyes darted toward the remaining Slytherin.

"Don't you get it? I don't want to talk to you. I don't want to see you."

"What did I do-"

"What did you do?" Her voice was rising now. Quickly she stopped herself and with another furtive glance toward her audience she whispered again. "It's your fault I'm here. I'm stuck here in this miserable place. Dad loved me even after you chose this place. But once that damn letter arrived… You-you ruined my life!"

Callista pushed her older sister aside and ran up the hill toward the castle. The remaining Slytherins cackled and leered before walking up the hill themselves. Cascata collapsed in on herself. Her legs started to buckle. Tamblin appeared beside her and helped ease her down to the ground. She didn't cry. Instead she just shook. A couple times she gagged like she was going to be sick. Tamblin held her until she was capable of walking back to the castle."


	15. Chapter 15

"What is the meaning of this," Fudge demanded.

Tamblin was startled.

"What do you mean, Minister?"

"That memory was a fake. You weren't in it until the end."

"I was there, just withdrawn."

"You mean to tell me you don't remember yourself being there?"

"I do. The pensieve, though, doesn't show me in my memories when I'm withdrawn. Probably an artifact of the magic. Consider that in the memory you can see the back of my hair. I have of course never seen the back of my head directly. Somehow the Pensieve fills in the scene. In doing so it becomes vulnerable to my abilities."

Bones was nodding.

"I've seen faked memories, they are crude and easily discerned. These were real."

Dumbledore nodded. "If your fears of counterfeit are allayed Minister then shall we proceed?"

If anything the Minister looked more agitated than ever but he said nothing more.


	16. Chapter 16

Tamblin stood by Cascata's bed in the infirmary. She was sleeping heavily. Hannah walked up and stood beside him looking down at her friend.

"Is she okay?"

"The nurse gave her a sleeping draught."

"Good. First real sleep she'll have gotten in weeks. She's getting worse _,_ Tamblin."

"I know."

" _No, you don't_. She's at her worst late at night. You've been seeing her at her best."

Tamblin stared at Hannah in horror.

"I don't understand why it's so bad."

"You can't understand, Tamblin. It's a family thing."

Tamblin glared at her.

"My parents are _dead_."

Hannah blanched but managed to face his sharpness.

"I know, and I'm sorry. But try to imagine how much worse it'd be if your parents were alive and had simply rejected you. If they even hated you, through no fault of your own."

Tamblin was quiet for a while.

"You've grown, Hannah."

"We all have, Tamblin. We've had to. Come on, we're not doing her any good here. Susan is trying to convince Snape not to push for Cassie to be expelled. Can you believe the mess it made when she threw that cauldron? She's lucky nobody was seriously hurt."

Tamblin shook his head. Before leaving he reached down to squeeze Cascata's hand.


	17. Chapter 17

"Albus, you can corroborate that Ms. Vega was having significant emotional difficulties?"

"I can say with certainty that she had a number of difficulties this year. Unusual incidents of outbursts and discipline issues. I suspect they indicate an emotional difficulty."

Madam Bones was nodding thoughtfully. Tamblin could see her grinding away at the various legal possibilities of the situation. He was struck again by her formidable capabilities. It was no wonder Susan felt so much pressure to succeed if this woman was a close relative.

She caught him staring at her and Tamblin quickly started again.

"Over the weeks as Cascata became more and more distraught I began experiencing some of the same symptoms as last year. Irritability. A certain haughtiness of perspective. It was subtle. She was anchoring me, but not as well, and it got progressively worse. I might not have noticed in time. I have Minister Fudge to thank, actually."

Fudge frowned.

"What do you mean, 'me to thank?'"

"You sent the Dementors to Hogwarts to find Sirius Black."

"Another memory," Madam Bones asked.

"Unfortunately not. As we've already established the Pensieve doesn't show me when I am withdrawn. In this matter you will simply have to accept my word."

"Give the testimony then."

Tamblin took a breath.

"Because I generally need less sleep than everyone else I've made a habit of taking walks at night. I have explored much of the school and surrounding areas...including the Forbidden Forest."

Madam Bones' eyes flicked to Dumbledore.

"That is a violation of school rules, is it not, Albus?"

Dumbledore smiled.

"I'm gratified that the school is held in such esteem that you recall them so perfectly. For most students the Forest is off limits due to the risks it poses. Tamblin, however, is probably significantly less at risk there than any of the faculty."

Fudge pressed, "But you knew he was breaking the rules and did nothing?"

Dumbledore cocked his head slightly.

"On the contrary, Minister, I have made use of Tamblin's constitutionals. During his first year he may have saved the life of at least one fellow student by alerting me to trouble he detected while so engaged."

Fudge nodded as if some suspicion had just been confirmed.

"Continue your testimony," said Madam Bones to Tamblin.


	18. Chapter 18

Tamblin slipped out of the castle after dark. He felt filled with nervous energy. Being cooped up all day with all the fellow noisy students had almost been torture. The night air, though bitterly cold, was so refreshing that he felt a surge of joy. He raced down the hill and then stopped suddenly in a crouch, listening and feeling for anyone who could see him. There was no one. He looked up. The sky was brilliant with stars and with a gibbous moon. He transitioned smoothly from crouch to a loping run that ate up the distance between him and the beckoning woods. He hadn't decided to trespass the Forbidden Forest but found the path instinctively.

He withdrew as much as he could, as always in the Forest. Various things moved here. Some he recognized, like the centaurs. Others were vaguely seen or only sensed at a distance and he skirted them carefully. He found a clearing in the woods and looked for the stars again, but a thick fog had moved in and hid them completely.

A screech sounded somewhere nearby, startling Tamblin. The sound was...odd. Pained surely, but more than that. There was an air of such resignation in it. Tamblin crept toward the sound. He'd gone a hundred yards when he saw a smaller clearing. In the center of the clearing was a bird creature. It was large, probably about the same weight as Tamblin but it was crumpled and supine on the ground. A swirling black mass hovered above it. Tamblin began to discern shapes in that mass.

They had to be Dementors- the guardians of the Ministry's oubliette. Vaguely humanoid floating shapes swathed in black. They massed and moved above the wounded bird. The motion reminded Tamblin of a shoal of fish. They were swirling around a common center and seemed even to be contesting control of that center.

After a few minutes of this the Dementors moved into a circle, except for one at the center that still hovered over the bird. The circle was uncomfortably close to Tamblin. He started to ease back away from the clearing when the Dementors all stopped abruptly. As a mass they turned his way. Their heads moved as thought they were testing the air for scents under their black shrouds.

Tamblin froze.

He felt the stillness within him. He was withdrawn. He couldn't feel their attention but they started gliding toward him anyway. When he could no longer deny that they sensed him he turned and ran.


	19. Chapter 19

His mind blanked completely. He operated entirely on instinct. He continued to withdraw but he also fled from the demons chasing him. And they _were_ chasing him. There was no doubt of that. His abilities seemed to slow them a bit so that they were not able to simply mob him with their superior speed, but it wasn't enough. As he ran he could see Dementors to his right and left gliding forward in a seesaw manner while continuing to sniff him out. Sooner or later they'd sweep enough forward that it would be him in the circle instead of the bird.

He could feel the nearest just behind him. The trap was closing. He turned so that he was running directly at a large oak tree. He leapt at it. As he hit it he kicked out his legs as hard as he could so that he rebounded back the way he'd just come. The closest Dementor loomed up in his path. Tamblin collided with something in that robe. He couldn't let himself pay attention to the sickening sensation of that cold flesh. Tamblin and the Dementor didn't collide head on. Instead they shunted each other aside as they passed. Tamblin landed hard and was immediately up and running. The Dementor screamed with frustration at having been so close. It couldn't quickly track him though. Now that Tamblin's course doubled back on itself they would lose time finding it again.

Tamblin ran hard and finally emerged from the Forest. The stars here were clear.


	20. Chapter 20

Fudge looked incredulous.

"You trying to tell me you managed to escape Dementors?"

"Only barely, Minister. The point, though, was that even at my most withdrawn they were able to find me, albeit imperfectly."

Madam Bones said, "I don't see how this story, if true, helped you conclude that Cascata wasn't anchoring you."

"Because it was not my only encounter with the Dementors and on the second occasion they were no longer able to see, or more correctly, smell me. It was quite a shock and it forced me to realize that I had been drifting. I had in fact gone quite a ways. I took some steps to try and get additional attention from others I knew but there is something critical about the relationship between an Invisible and their anchor."

"And what was this second encounter?" Fudge asked.

"I'd prefer not to say. It has no bearing on the crime at hand."

Fudge glanced at Dumbledore and then back.

"I'm not disposed to believe these Dementor accounts of yours. The actions you ascribe to them are beyond belief, and would have violated their orders from the Ministry. And the idea that a thirteen-year-old boy might escape from many Dementors is patently absurd. These creatures managed to guard the most dangerous criminals in Azkaban."

"How did the Dementors make you feel, Tamblin?" Madam Bones interjected.

"Afraid of course, but I didn't feel the despair that most people describe. I suspect that my ability spared me from that aspect of their nature."

"That's quite a leap of reasoning," she said.

"There is a precedent," Tamblin said hesitantly.

"...but you'd rather not tell us about it," she said. Her hard look left no question as to whether she was inclined to defer to her suspect's desires in this matter.

Tamblin grimaced.

"I saw the basilisk."

Even Dumbledore leaned forward. Fudge just looked even more incredulous if that were possible.

"You saw the Basilisk? Last year? From the Chamber of Secrets?" Madam Bones asked.

"Yes. I saw its _eyes_. They should have killed me but they didn't. I could feel the magic pass through and past me. I was withdrawn and it didn't harm me."

Fudge couldn't contain himself any more. "Saw its eyes? You're as bad as _The Quibbler_. I suppose you also spoke with the Crumple-Horned Snorkack?"

Madam Bones said, "Please, Minister, this isn't helping."

"Bah, it's nonsense. Nobody ever found the supposed Basilisk's body." He turned on Tamblin. "You say you saw it? Then show us that memory."

"That would be most ill-advised," Dumbledore said.

"I thought as much," Fudge said.

"The memory of the Basilisk as seen through the Pensieve's magic might be very dangerous." Dumbledore continued. "Whether it would be fatal or not is hard to say, of course, as no one has ever done such a thing before."

Madam Bones was more interested in her case, though.

"You are asking us to take a lot on your word."

Tamblin hesitated.

"I would be willing to take Veritaserum to establish the facts of the case."

"You know that the Wizengamot precludes requiring testimony compelled by Veritaserum."

"Yes, Ma'am. But a witness can voluntarily accept it," Tamblin said.

"Tamblin, are you sure that's a step you wish to take?" Dumbledore said.

"He said it was, and clearly the boy knows what it means," Fudge said.

"Would that help satisfy you, Madam Bones?" Tamblin asked.

"Let's leave that for now and continue, unless you were finished?"

"No, not yet."

"Then for the moment I will take the testimony as given and we can return to the matter of the Veritaserum at the end."

Tamblin smiled. By waiting for the end of his testimony she could then ask him to verify all of it under the truth telling effect of the Veritaserum.

"I had been deeply concerned for Cascata's pain due to my friendship with her, but after the second encounter with the Dementors it took on a greater significance for me. My friend's heartache was possibly life-threatening to me. As such I felt I had greater right to interfere with her affairs. She had still been rather withdrawn and unwilling to say much."

Tamblin placed his wand to his temple and extracted a new memory.


	21. Chapter 21

Christmas break had come and gone. Cascata had not improved at all, even though Tamblin stayed at Hogwarts during the break to try and tend to her. In desperation he had called Hannah and Susan together in early January to talk about it.

They sat in the same classroom they used for study sessions. Cascata's absence cast a shadow over everything.

"I need to know what's going on," Tamblin said.

"You know as much as we do," Susan replied. Her temper had become shorter as well.

Hannah however winced slightly.

Tamblin looked at her.

"You know something, Hannah. You told me in the infirmary that I was seeing Cascata at her best. You said she was at her worst at night. What did you mean?"

"I...uh...she talks to herself, but like she was talking to other people..."

" _Hannah_ ," Susan snapped.

Tamblin rounded on Susan who stood her ground.

"I have to know, Susan."

"By dragging out what she does when she's upset? Do you have to humiliate her like this?"

"In this case, yes."

Susan seemed taken aback. She'd been sure that her response would shame Tamblin into dropping the topic.

Hannah somehow managed to squeeze in between their egos.

"Why is it so important, Tamblin?"

So Tamblin told them about his cursed gift. He told them briefly about how it worked and that he needed Cascata now. Only she could help him stay himself. They were surprised but it explained too much about the last two years for them to dismiss.

"It's like Hannah says, she talks to people who aren't there," Susan admitted. "Always after she thinks we're asleep."

Hannah looked glum.

"She was talking to her mother. I heard her say it one night."

"When did this start?" Tamblin asked.

"Late October or early November. I'm not sure," Susan said.

Tamblin nodded.

"What is it," Hannah asked.

"She told me once that her mom died in the fall. The leaves changing color always makes her feel sad. What better time to start talking to your dead relatives than on the anniversary of that death?"

"So what are we going to do?" Susan asked.

Nobody had an answer.


	22. Chapter 22

"We are arriving at the crux of the matter," Tamblin said. He placed another memory within the Pensieve without further explanation.

It was mid-February and Hannah and Susan had gone with most of the other students on a trip to Hogsmeade. Tamblin stayed at the castle. He had looked for Cascata at breakfast and lunch, but she'd not been there. He knew she had not left on the trip to the village though.

It was in the Artiste's Alcove that he found her. Cascata was huddled in a corner shaking.

Tamblin crouched down by her. He took her hand in his and she seemed to notice him for the first time. She threw her arms around his neck and started to cry frantically.

"I thought I might be safe here. I didn't think anyone could find me."

"You are safe. Everything will be okay, Cascata."

"No it won't. I shouldn't have come here. I'll be in trouble."

"Why? With whom?"

Cascata looked at him with stark terror in her eyes.

"She's pretty, but so very angry. She says such horrible things to me."

Tamblin stroked her hair.

"I'm sure your mom isn't mad at you. She'd be proud of you."

Cascata laid her head on Tamblin's shoulder.

"It's not my mother, Tamblin. It's _yours_."


	23. Chapter 23

Madam Bones looked at Tamblin.

"Does it matter whose mother she was hallucinating?"

Tamblin shook his head.

"I have one more memory to show you."


	24. Chapter 24

Once before Tamblin had slipped into the Hufflepuff common room, it was even easier this time. He found Cascata alone in her dorm room. She was sleeping and he hated to interrupt it given how rare sleep had been for her. He watched her for a while before gently shaking her.

She looked at him dreamily.

"Wha- what is it?"

"Cascata, we have to settle this. I'm ready to believe you but I...I'm having difficulty. I can't focus very well. I can't... The world keeps losing color."

"What do you want me to do?"

"Do you still have the portkey?"

She nodded.

"We have to go back to my house. If my mother has come back... that's where... please let's just go."

She shook her head fiercely.

"She said she'd... oh Tamblin, the things she said she'd do... to both of us if I disobeyed her. The things she'd do to my father and sister. You don't know... she'd do it. She'd hurt us all so badly to get her way."

A part of Cascata seemed to realize how badly she'd already been abused by this revenant and started to sob.

"We have to try. We have to go... or I'm going to end up like her..."

Cascata pulled herself together as well as she could and got out of her bed. Without bothering to change out of her sleeping gown she pulled a pouch out of her trunk. Her hands trembled as she opened it and let the heavy metal loop drop onto the dresser without touching it.

They clasped hands and then reached out to touch the circle at the same time.

A moment later they were dumped unceremoniously on the lawn of his family estate.

They stood up, both of them unsteady. Tamblin kept hold of Cascata's hand and walked to the front doors. They opened easily for him and he led Cascata upstairs.

The Empty Portrait was no longer empty. From it stared a young woman with brown hair in a white gown. Her hair was done up under a lace hat with flowers pinned to it. Tamblin tentatively reached out to touch the picture.

Tamblin turned to look at Cascata. She was looking away from the paitning. He pointed at it.

"Is this the woman you saw at night?"

She still wouldn't look. He pulled her toward the painting but she screeched and drew back. Tearing her hand from his, she cowered in a corner.

"Don't force the poor child. She's had it pretty rough."

Tamblin looked up and into the face of his mother.


	25. Chapter 25

She looked almost like a ghost but she wasn't floating. She was faint but he could see her. Tamblin stumbled and fell on his butt.

"Poor boy, you've had a rough time too. Don't worry, honey. Mommy will make it all better. Soon you'll be fine."

Tamblin gaped.

"How? Is that what you are trying to ask? Goodness, didn't I teach you better manners than to stand around with your mouth hanging open?"

Tamblin closed his mouth with an effort of will.

"That's better. As for how, _you know_. You may associate with this stupid cow but you aren't dumb, my darling boy."

"You are using Cascata to get back. Somehow you are making her _your_ anchor. Taking my place."

"Yes. When your idiot father got himself killed I was lost. I was bled of everything. My will, my flesh, my mind. It was all _taken_ from me. I was here an eternity. Unable to do anything except watch the world move on _without_ me."

"You were always here?"

"Yes." The hatred in that single syllable stunned Tamblin.

"Right. Here. Watching you grow up. Seeing you forsake your birthright. Watching you whimper and cower for the Ministry. I saw your power start to develop. And then you brought this..." She leaned close to Cascata who moaned and tried to cram herself more into the corner, "wonderful, charming, _perceptive_ piece of filth into my home to cavort and flirt with. I had just realized that your mudblood trollop had a use when you almost killed her with the Amphisbaen.

"But you couldn't even kill right. You blubbered and blundered your way into keeping her alive. And then you struck that Ministry man in the head and I thought I could _almost_ like you. But you're a failure. You've failed to live up to even your father's pitiful legacy, much less _my_ greatness. My lord wouldn't have accepted you, and neither will I."

Tambin swallowed. "Your lord was a psychopath and failed to kill a helpless infant."

Her face clenched in fury.

"A child of greatness wants to play in the _mud_ instead of being a god! You wouldn't even exist if it weren't for my Lord Voldemort! You whining pathetic worm! I've finally found something you are good for. You'll take my place. You can watch the grey world now. Watch what your mother can do."

Tamblin stood up. Cascata was peering at him from between the arms she was using to shield herself.

"You were not always the abomination you have become, but I know no way to heal you. I rebuke you, mother, and consign you to the punishment you have come to earn."

Tamblin drew his wand from his cloak.

His mother laughed.

"I'm not yet in the world enough for you to harm with your petty magics, and by the time I am you will be too far gone. Perhaps my next child will not be such a disappointment."

"Goodbye, mother."

Tamblin turned the wand on Cascata. Her eyes grew wide.

"OBLIVIATE!"


	26. Chapter 26

Fudge looked in a bad way when he emerged from Tamblin's memory.

"You mean the Invisibles… they're all still here… somewhere? Like ghosts?" He looked around as if expecting to be mobbed by Voldemort's hidden agents.

"My mother was. _Is_. As for any others that He taught, I don't know."

Madam Bones looked thoughtful.

"So we've seen the crime. But there is a problem."

Dumbledore smiled and Tamblin nodded.

Tamblin said, "you've seen my memories and you know they are not fakes, but-"

"-you've admitted madness is a symptom of your abilities," Madam Bones finished. "How are we to know the mother you saw, and that we saw _through_ you was not a hallucination? Is there any evidence? The Portrait of your mother?"

Tamblin shook his head.

"I instructed my house elf to destroy anything that had my mother's name or image on it."

Fudge gaped.

"But why?"

"Because my mother is still there. I erased Cascata's memories of her. The process rendered Cascata unconscious and severed the tie between them. It must never be reforged. My mother has faded again without an anchor. When Cascata visited me she was quite interested in the Empty Portrait. I suspect she was able to see some faint remaining image there of my mother. Enough so that my mother was able to get a spark of her attention. My mother fed on it and grew strong enough to interact with her directly."

Madam Bones said, "So there is nothing to corroborate your story?"

"I may be able to offer some testimony," Dumbledore said. "After I received Tamblin's letter telling me of his suspicions, I looked through the effects I had gathered when I sought to jog my own memory of Tamblin's mother."

Dumbledore retrieved an old photo from his pocket. He placed it on the desk in view of everyone. In the picture a number of older students posed, made faces, waved, shook hands, and otherwise acted as young adults will for pictures. Whenever they stood in a line there was always a curious gap between two of the students. In the caption at the bottom listing the students pictured there was a similar gap as if a name had been written down and then erased later.

"Tamblin's mother was in this photograph when it was first taken. And she was in it this afternoon when I looked at it. But she had faded from it again."

Tamblin looked carefully at the photo. All the students pictured wore the same house robes. He looked up at Dumbledore.

"My mother was a Hufflepuff?"

Dumbledore nodded.

"And her name was Elizabeth. The name too was visible earlier today. I thought you should know." Dumbledore smiled. "I took steps to make sure the name would not fade from my memory again."

Tamblin looked at the picture for another minute, willing himself to see his mother as the girl she had been, but it was no use. He looked up at Madam Bones.

"After I erased Cascata's memories of my mother, I gave my house elf instructions and brought Cascata back here. It was vitally important that you know what happened. Cascata is currently in the infirmary."

Madam Bones nodded gravely. "Yes. Normal response to improper use of Obliviate is to try and reconstruct the memories of the victim."

Tamblin looked intent.

"Which must not happen in this case. Minister," Tamblin said, turning to Fudge, "if Cascata's memories are restored my mother will have her eye again. I will die, or near enough that doesn't matter, and she will be loosed upon you. You were shocked at my abilities. My mother is actually trained in their use. I suspect my innate talent is stronger than hers over all, but she undoubtedly knows how to use it better. For instance, I could not have displaced her anchor had our positions been reversed. She is more than capable of carrying out terrible revenge. For the good of all Cascata's memories must not be restored."

Madam Bones considered the issue.

"I can see the case for not restoring her memories. The issue of the assault, and your punishment, remains."

Tamblin took a deep breath. "I'm afraid that issue is also somewhat more complicated than it appears."

"How so," Fudge asked, looking suspicious.

"Consider the options. If you send me to Azkaban you remove me from my anchor…"

"Effectively a death sentence," Madam Bones said, thinking out loud.

"Or worse. I _was_ able to evade the dementors. If you cut me off from my anchor how long will it take before I become twisted as my mother has? And once I am, what could stop me leaving your prison and pursuing vengeance?"

Fudge reddened.

"You dare threaten the Minister of Magic and two members of the Wizengamot?"

Tamblin flinched from his shouts.

"I have no desire to do so. But if I am removed from Cascata for a significant amount of time I _will_ change. I will no longer be myself. I will become something that, yes, is quite threatening."

Dumbledore stood up behind his desk.

"It would seem to me in the Ministry's best interest that young Tamblin here not be imprisoned in Azkaban."

Madam Bones said, "He did assault the girl. And there is another option."

Tamblin swallowed.

Dumbledore said, "That is reserved for the only the most severe cases. Tamblin's actions while serious were not malicious and given the potential harm of inaction they were justified."

Fudge interrupted.

"This is ridiculous. We don't even know that the boy can fool Dementors. We've only his word on the matter."

Tamblin's eyes locked with Madam Bones'. He nodded.

"Albus, could you have your potions master bring us some Veritaserum?"

"No need for that," Fudge said, reaching into his cloak. He brought out a small stoppered flask.

Madam Bones stared at it.

"Minister, you carry Veritaserum with you?"

Fudge waved his hand as if swatting away the question. His wand produced a small cup. Into it he poured a tiny amount of the potion. This he held out to Tamblin.

Tamblin took the cup and let the drops of potion pass his lips. He handed the cup back to Fudge who inspected it to make sure it was empty.

Madam Bones waited a moment before beginning.

"Did you agree to Veritaserum of your own free will?"

Tamblin felt the answer bubble out of him.

"Yes."

"Did you use magic outside of school grounds?"

"Yes."

"Did you use memory magic on a fellow student against her will?"

"Yes."

"Were the memories you showed us in the pensieve, your own?"

"Yes."

"Were the memories accurate?"

"Yes."

"Have you hidden anything in the narrative you have told us this evening?"

"Yes."

Dumbledore here interjected.

"Tamblin, were any of the things you have kept hidden material to your guilt or innocence in the matter of assaulting Ms. Vega?"

"No."

Madam Bones resumed.

"Had your mother been using Ms. Vega to get back from wherever she's been?"

"Yes."

"Is your mother still alive?"

"Most likely."

"And what will she do if she comes back?"

"She'll kill. Not directly, but she'll cause accidents. She can do that, I think, without breaking the power."

"Were you able to sneak past Dementors?"

"Sometimes."

"When were you able to?"

"When I was estranged from Cascata."

"What will happen if you are confined in Azkaban?"

"I'll go mad. I'll become like my mother. I'll escape and I'll hurt people."

"Do you mean any harm toward Cascata?"

"No."

Madam Bones looked at Dumbledore and Fudge.

Fudge suddenly said, "Are you loyal to the Ministry?"

Both Madam Bones and Dumbledore started to object but the answer was already coming.

"No."

"Minister! The suspect has agreed to Veritaserum to answer questions related to this case. This is not a general inquisition! There are rules."

"Bah. He asked for a special hearing. We've already waved the rules and you heard his answer. The lad is disloyal!"

Dumbledore said, "loyalty to the Ministry is not required by law. Nor will it be while I serve on the Wizengamot. Loyalty is given to people who earn it, not institutions."

Fudge looked at Tamblin like he was a thing.

"The boy is a weapon. He was made to be. Do you think _He_ didn't know what would happen to the child of an Invisible? He's a weapon, forged by our enemies. If the weapon is not in our hand, then whose?"

"I will be no one's tool." Tamblin turned to look at each of the three in turn. "Anyone who thinks to make use of me had best remember that. I'll not be the pawn my mother was, for _anyone_."

Madam Bones said, "The child is free to seek his own way."

She motioned Tamblin toward her. He stood in front of her chair so that they were eye to eye.

"I believe you about Azkaban. But that leaves me a dilemma. I am personally in charge of magical law enforcement. You tell me that I cannot imprison you safely and I agree. But there is another punishment at my discretion."

"The Kiss."

"Yes. You know what the Dementor's Kiss does?"

"I've heard stories. It is death."

"Close enough. I want you to understand this very carefully, Mr. Demosthene." She reached out to take hold of his hands. Her grip wasn't painful but unyielding like steel. "For most the Kiss is the punishment of last resort. Used only when everything else has failed. With you however I have no lesser punishment to try first."

Tamblin swallowed.

"Are you going to kill me?"

There was only the tiniest softening of Amelia Bones eyes.

"No. I think the three of us can agree that this matter needs to be handled delicately and that you were indeed acting foolishly but without malice. I'll not subject you to the Kiss for that. But I want you to know this," Any softness in her eyes had fled, "justice will not be held hostage by your ability. I _will_ order the Kiss if you flaunt the law. And because of your gift I will have to resort to it much quicker than for anyone else. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Ma'am."

"Good."

She released his hands and he stepped back.


	27. Chapter 27

A few minutes later both the Minister and Madam Bones had departed. Tamblin found himself staring at the door through which they had left. He felt tired, so tired. It was good in a way. It meant his connection with Cascata was coming back. But at the moment it was all he could do to stand without swaying.

"Tamblin."

"Yes, Headmaster?"

"What happened during your second encounter with the dementors?"

Tamblin finally turned from staring at the door to look at Dumbledore.

"I can't tell you, Professor. I was sworn to secrecy."

Dumbledore nodded to himself.

"I understand, however if there are matters at this school that endanger any students, including you, it is important I be made aware of them."

"Don't worry, it doesn't involve the school."

Dumbledore let it go at that and both of them stood in silence for a moment.

"Flitwick was right."

"About what, Tamblin?"

"There was a powerful temptation to do more than I had to."

"How so?"

"I removed her memories of my mother but I could have also removed Cascata's sister. Even her father. She would have been happier."

"In the short term perhaps. What stopped you?"

"I had to take away her memories of my mother. That was a matter of life or death. But if I altered her beyond that I would have been doing it because of what I wanted. I felt like that was wrong."

"Sometimes we must let others endure hardships we'd rather take on ourselves. I'm pleased such a lesson is not lost on someone with your potential."

"Yes, Headmaster. But there is more. I also suspected that erasing her familial memories would cause complications. What would happen when she saw he sister at school and didn't remember her? There would be too many loose ends and she might discover what happened and in doing so reconnect with my mother."

Dumbledore steepled his fingers.

"Also true."

Tamblin frowned.

"I'm not sure why I refrained from tampering. Was it because it was wrong or because it was impractical?"

There was a slightly pleading look in Tamblin's eyes, a need to have the question firmly resolved rather than suffer the ambiguity.

"I can see how that is a quandary for you. I can only suggest you take ample time to consider the matter. What we do is certainly a test of us, but so is how we learn from what we have done." He made a slightly wistful sigh. "The important lessons in life never seem to fit inside the classrooms, no matter how big we make them."

"So now what?"

"You must be exhausted, Tamblin, but before either of us rests I think we must talk to those who we need to keep the secret. I shall speak to the relevant members of the staff. You must speak to Ms. Abbot and Ms. Bones."


	28. Chapter 28

Tamblin stood in the great hall and shivered. He had to keep pacing to stay awake. The benches looked so inviting to lay down on, if only for a moment.

There was a noise at the double doors. Professor sprout in a red plaid robe bustled into the hall followed by a very sleepy looking Hannah and Susan. They had pulled on some warm robes over their night gowns. Sprout looked at Tamblin suspiciously.

"Ms. Abbot, , I need to go speak to the Headmaster. I'll be back for you shortly."

Hannah and Susan didn't say anything but nodded sleepily. They sat side by side on a bench near Tamblin and sort of leaned against each other.

"What's going on," Susan asked between yawns.

Tamblin took a breath.

"Cascata's been injured."

Both girls looked instantly more awake. Tamblin held up a hand.

"She's okay. She's in the infirmary. She'll be fine now, as long as we are careful."

They both squinted at him. Hannah spoke first.

"What does that mean, Tamblin? What happened to her?"

"She's lost some memories of the last year. And it is very important that we do nothing to remind her of them."

"Huh," was all that Susan could manage.

Tamblin rubbed his eyes. They burned suddenly. The tears preceded the emotional impact which hit him hard. He'd been able to put it aside while he did what he had to do; while he dealt with the abomination, while he met with the minister and Madam Bones. But now that he had to ask her friends to lie to her the weight of it all hit him. Cascata, huddled on the floor cringing from the abuse his mother had heaped on her. The girl who had befriended him when he was alone and in return had been almost killed, abused to near insanity, and magically assaulted. The same girl who would now be the subject of a conspiracy of her friends. There was no question really that Hannah and Susan would do it. They'd trust him that it was in her best interest. He couldn't breathe under the weight of his guilt.

His choked sob startled Hannah and Susan. They looked at each other in shock and then moved to reassure their friend. Tamblin took a while to recover.

"I'm sorry. The tension and fatigue…"

Hannah shushed him and hugged him again. He let her for a minute and then disentangled. They still had to get this matter settled.

"Cascata wasn't seeing things. She _was_ talking to someone. Someone who you couldn't see but who was there. Someone with a power like mine."

Tamblin swallowed.

"This person scared her and harangued her until she was broken down."

"I don't understand," Susan said. "Why could Cascata see them and we couldn't?"

"I'm not sure. Cascata has a very keen sense of perception. She's always seen me easier than other people. Unfortunately this means she was able to see… this other person."

Hannah was biting her lip.

"Tamblin, why'd she call the person 'mother?'"

The look on Hannah's face made Tamblin realize that she suspected the truth. He looked down at the floor and spoke quietly.

"It was my mother."

"I thought your mother was dead," Susan blurted out.

"I thought so too. She had the same power and she lost her anchor, my father, and she just sort of disappeared. She was far gone and she went mad. She became twisted and monstrous. Cascata was able to barely see her even as far gone as she was and my mother used that connection to make Cascata her anchor instead of mine."

Susan said, "but wouldn't that have done to you that had happened to her?"

Tamblin nodded.

Hannah seemed shocked.

"Oh, Tamblin, your own mother tried to kill you?"

She started to step forward to hug him again but Tamblin quickly stepped back.

"I swear if you two make me feel any better about what I've done I'll scream."

Susan shook her head.

"You didn't do it, Tamblin. You aren't responsible for your mother's actions."

"Cascata never would have suffered this if she hadn't agreed to be my anchor. She could have had a normal life. Instead I rain ruin upon her."

Susan reached out and took his hand.

"Tamblin, knock it off. You just hurt over what has happened to her and you find it easier to blame yourself."

Hannah took his other hand.

"She means that you and Cascata are good friends to each other. The first person Cascata is going to want to see is you. She cares about you a great deal, and you don't show it the same way but you care about her a lot too."

They lead him over to the bench and sat down on either side of him.

"So what do we have to do to help her," Susan asked.

Tamblin told them. They agreed like he knew they would. Professor Sprout appeared shortly afterward. She had a slightly disturbed look on her face. Hannah and Susan got up. Before Hannah left she kissed Tamblin on the forehead. Then she blushed and hurried after Susan and Professor Sprout.

Tamlin was far too tired to climb the stairs to the Ravenclaw dorms. He lay down on the bench and lost consciousness.


	29. Chapter 29

Somebody gently shook his shoulder. He opened his eyes and shut them again at once. It was after dawn and the Great Hall was entirely too bright. He rubbed his eyes and opened them more gingerly. Some students had come into the Great Hall for breakfast. Lisa Turpin had awoken him. He sat up on the bench and looked around. The hall wasn't very full; it looked like only the early risers were there so it couldn't be too late yet. A number of the students were staring at him and tittering with their classmates.

Lisa looked concerned. Little surprise as Tamblin was sure he looked like hell.

"Are you okay, Tamblin?"

"Wonderful," he said with an overabundance of sarcasm.

Lisa sat down next to him.

"What happened last night?"

Tamblin was distracted by a few catcalls from the older students.

"Why are they doing that," he asked.

Lisa looked around and then back at him.

"Well, uh, there was a rumor going around already that you had slipped down here last night to, um, meet with some people. A girl. Or _girls_. The story varies depending who is telling it. So what really happened?"

"A small victory for rebellious youth against oppressive parents."

Lisa stared at him.

"Sometimes you are so odd. Guess that's why I like you."

It was Tamblin's turn to stare. He'd never been clear on why exactly Lisa had been interested in him. He dished up some food. His appetite was also returned.


	30. Chapter 30

The tittering and catcalls seemed to intensify when more Hufflepuffs came to breakfast. Some of them had apparently noticed that Cascata was also not in her dorm come morning. Tamblin ignored it all. He watched for Hannah and Susan but they appeared to have slept late after having their rest disturbed.

After he ate he agreed to work with Lisa on an assignment in herbology together. She seemed surprised but pleased. Then he left to go to the infirmary. On the way he was brought up short by the sound of Cascata laughing. It was coming through a window placed too high up for him to be able to see out. He guessed which courtyard the window would look out into and ran there. He came to an abrupt halt as he saw not Cascata but her sister in the courtyard facing Nott over a chessboard. It was the only time Tamblin had seen the girl smile. She looked even more like her sister when she did so.

Nott looked up at Tamblin. Callista followed his gaze and her smile disappeared immediately. Tamblin felt caught.

"Good morning, Demosthene."

"And you, Nott." Tamblin looked at Callista. "And you, Ms. Vega."

Callista looked even more uncomfortable than Tamblin felt. She just sort of nodded her head and at the same time tried to look away as if she hadn't noticed she had been addressed.

There was a moment of silence. Nott had the slightest smile on his face as he stared at Tamblin.

"Excuse me, I didn't mean to interrupt your game."

Nott looked back at Callista.

"Not at all, Demosthene. I've found you to be a consummate player, and I hope to challenge you again."

She giggled at some private joke between them.

Tamblin left the courtyard. He was in no position or shape to match Nott's maneuvers at the moment.


	31. Chapter 31

Still on his way to the infirmary he was startled by an arm being draped over his shoulder. He looked up into the smirking face of one of the Weasley twins. The other came up on the other side of him.

"If it isn't the little Don Juan himself. George, wasn't I just saying that we needed some dish straight from the source to give our wild exaggerations just a hint of truth?"

"You were just saying that, Fred."

Tamblin groaned.

"You two have been spreading the rumors?"

The twins quickly stepped in front of him and adopted stern faces.

"We do _not_ start rumors."

"We embellish them."

"Really, you would have been embarrassed to hear how dull the rumor was at first. We had to spice it up a bit. But now it's gotten out of control. The story needs to be toned down a bit."

"To keep it just slightly plausible, you understand."

"Right, George. There is a fine line between eminently ridiculous and just plain mental. The rumormonger's art is to walk that fine line."

"We're artists."

"That we are. But some of these amateurs around here don't understand the perfectly balanced nuance of a Weasley rumor."

"They think they can improve on perfection and the whole lie becomes ungainly and worthless."

"Sometimes you have to season a good lie with just a hint of truth. We were just going to make up some truth to season with, but then we saw you."

"So what really happened? Don't worry, we won't tell anyone, we'll use it as the basis of a much more interesting set of rumors."

Tamblin couldn't deal with this right now. He just shook his head and walked on.


	32. Chapter 32

Tamblin expected to see Hannah or Susan at the infirmary after all the delays but there was no one there other than Cascata sitting up on one of the beds. She smiled at Tamblin when she saw him and waved him over.

"How are you feeling?"

"Kind of woozy. What happened? I don't remember how I got here or why. I woke up last night and tried to ask Madam Pomfrey but she just shushed me and told me to go back to sleep."

"You had a little accident in potions class. Drank something that wasn't quite made right. Nothing serious. Snape gave you a Finis-dram and a counter-poison but you got really groggy and tired so we brought you up here for the night."

"What day is it?"

"Saturday. Yep, you had to go and get sick for the weekend." He forced a smile.

"Shut up. Like you haven't screwed up a few of our weekends." Her smile seemed genuine.

Cascata looked past him and he turned to see Hannah and Susan peeking in around the doorway. Cascata waved them over too.

"You feeling any better, Cassie," Susan asked.

She nodded.

"I think so."

Hannah looked from Cascata to Tamblin.

"Did, uh, Tamblin tell you what happened," Hannah asked cautiously.

"Yeah, I bet Snape was furious."

The three conspirators were quiet. Susan made an effort to seem natural.

"Well, we're glad you are doing okay. Do you think you feel well enough to get out of here today?"

"I think so. I'll have to ask-"

She stopped and was looking at the doorway again. A tall handsome boy from the Hufflepuff team was standing there. He looked loathe to interrupt but approached the knot of friends. Hannah and Susan quickly parted so that he could approach between them. He moved with a sort of self assurance that was not quite cocky and a grace that suggested athletic potential. Slightly shyly he handed a card to Cascata.

She looked very bright eyed and opened it to read. She smiled at the boy brilliantly.

"Thank you, Cedric."

"When we heard about you being laid up in the infirmary the team decided… well you read it. Anyway they asked me to deliver it because I'm the captain now. Are you going to try out for Beater next year? You did quite well at last year's try out…"

Cascata nodded vigorously.

"Good. I'll, uh, leave you to your friends then." He looked at Tamblin, Hannah, and Susan in turn making a small nod toward each and then left.

After he was out the door, all three girls sighed loudly.

Hannah said "did you see his arms? Great arms."

Susan and Cascata sighed again.

Tamblin cleared his throat.

"You wouldn't understand Tamblin, he's just…mmm," Susan said.

Tamblin started to reply but noticed that Cascata had a blank look in her eyes. Slowly her brow furrowed.

"Cascata? What's wrong?"

"I… I was going to try out for Quidditch this year. Sasha last year said I might make the team this year. But… I didn't try out… why didn't I try out?"

Hannah and Susan looked to Tamblin.

"You don't remember," Tamblin asked. "Things just got too busy. And you were concerned about your sister. You decided to wait on it until next year."

Cascata seemed to absorb this and slowly the concerned look drained away.

"Oh. Oh yeah, that was it." Her brow furrowed once more for a second and then she let what was bothering her go. "Stupid of me to forget about that."

"Why don't we get you out of here and back to the Hufflepuff common room," Hannah said. "We can get you dressed and go for a walk. It looks like spring has come a bit early this year."

Cascata smiled. "That sounds lovely."


	33. Chapter 33

They weren't the only students to try and take advantage of the warmer than expected weather. They found a nice spot by the lake and the four of them sat and just watched life go on around them. Nobody felt the need to speak.

A group of first years were running around the field with such a pure joy of movement that it almost embarrassed Tamblin to think he'd been that young when he first saw Hogwarts.

Pairs of older students, male and female walked hand in hand around the lake and often through the trees to more secluded spots.

Hagrid had a small boat out on the surface of the lake and was doing something to the tentacles of the giant squid. The squid would raise a tentacle out of the water and Hagrid would rub a long broom like object over it, then the tentacle would retreat and another would appear.

They sat there some hours and watched life move on as it does; stumbling along without fear or guilt. The sun was nudging the horizon and the air growing cool when they stood up and as a group started up the hill towards dinner.


End file.
